Conventionally, in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle having a driving source of electric power, an assembled battery has a plurality of rectangular battery cells connected in series or parallel.
In the assembled battery, a separator is disposed between adjacent rectangular battery cells. This separator plays a role to prevent rectangular battery cells from directly contacting each other. Additionally, projections and depressions are formed on the separator, and thus passages for cooling gas flowing between the rectangular battery cell and the separator are formed. Then, when the rectangular battery cell generates heat, the rectangular battery cell can be cooled by making the cooling gas flow through the passage.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2013-004523 discloses the following. The projection is provided at the base part of the cell barrier (separator), a passage where heat exchange medium passes, is provided between the cell barrier and the battery cell. Further, the cell barrier has the flange part, an opening is provided at the flange part.